Habits of Mind
Lesson 2: A whole-school approach
I have had the great pleasure of working with many schools that have seen the Habits of Mind flourish in their communities over many years. Not only have these schools embedded the Habits of Mind, they have sustained them. Unfortunately, not all schools have sustained their work. For many, the Habits of Mind have become […]
Lesson 3: Development of the Habits of Mind
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve shared my most important insights into how to succeed with the Habits of Mind. This week, I want to get to the heart of what the Habits of Mind are all about: Learning to Behave more Intelligently. When Art Costa first described what would become known as the […]
It’s not as simple as “Praise Effort”
Praise is a powerful thing. It has the potential to motivate, guide and support a student’s learning. But it can also derail it. When our praise is focused on outcomes and abilities (“You’re so clever!”, “You’re a real natural at this!”), it contributes to the development of a Fixed Mindset. Students with a Fixed Mindset […]
Not all Effort is Created Equal
I am increasingly of the belief that we should ban the word “effort” from the classroom. Praising effort has become all the rage in education—all in the name of Growth Mindsets. The argument goes something like this: If we praise students for their ability or achievements we detract from the importance of their efforts. So […]
